The
120-mm 2S9 Nona-S (Anemone) self-propelled howitzer/mortar was first seen
in public in May 1985 and it is an airborne artillery assault vehicle that
has been developed to carry out two tactical functions: conventional artillery
equipment to replace existing mortars and howitzers and as a direct fire
anti-tank weapon system firing HEAT projectiles. The 2S9 has a crew of
four; commander, driver/mechanic, gunner and loader. The 2S9 hull is a
stretched version of the BMD airborne combat vehicle and is divided into
three compartments; the command compartment, the fighting compartment and
the engine compartment. The two-man turret is located in the middle of
the hull and is of welded steel construction with 16-mm thick frontal armor.
The turret roof has two hatches, one for the gunner and the other for the
loader. The track is the same as that used on the BMD airborne combat vehicle
and the suspension is hydro-pneumatic with an adjustable ground clearance
of between 100 and 450-mm. The ground clearance is adjustable by the driver/mechanic
from within the vehicle. There are six road wheels each side and five track-return
rollers. The 2S9 is armed with a 120-mm breech-loaded mortar (2A60) with
a barrel approximately 1.8-m long. The mortar is probably provided with
an interrupted-screw breech mechanism and a chamber detent to retain a
round in place when the barrel is elevated. Ammunition is fixed and loading
is manual, although ramming is automatic. The 120-mm mortar has a rate
of fire of 6 to 8 rds/min. In the indirect fire role the mortar fires high
explosive, white phosphorous and smoke rounds. Mounted below the turret
rear is an ammunition loading hatch and mounted on top of the hull is a
device for loading ammunition from the ground directly into the fighting
compartment. This allows sustained fire missions to be carried out whilst
still retaining onboard ammunition supply. The 2S9 takes 30 seconds to
come into action and a similar time to come out of action. When in the
firing position the suspension is raised to provide a more stable firing
platform. Standard equipment includes an NBC system, night vision equipment
and an electric bilge pump. The 2S9 is amphibious and is powered in the
water by two water-jets at the rear. Power can be delivered to the water-jets
and the track at the same time. When in the water, splash vanes can be
erected in front of the driver's position. For air transport the 2S9 can
be carried by any former Soviet Military Air Transport (VTA) medium or
heavy cargo aircraft. It can be para-dropped from the An-32 `Cline', Il-76
`Candid' or An-22 `Cock' aircraft using the PRSM-915 heavy drop system,
from heights between 300 and 1500 m.

2S23 120-mm
SELF-PROPELLED HOWITZER/MORTAR SYSTEM

The
120-mm 2S23 self-propelled howitzer/mortar system is essentially a modified
version of the turret used with the 2S9 system mounted on a modified BTR-80
(8 x 8) armored personnel carrier chassis. The all-welded steel turret
of the 2S23 does differ from that observed on the 2S9 (SO-120) in a number
of areas including the installation of three electrically operated smoke
dischargers either side of the turret firing forwards and a raised commander's
cupola towards the rear of the turret on the left side which overhangs
the side of the turret. On the 2S23 the infra-red searchlight is mounted
on the forward part of the commander's cupola which is also provided with
vision devices. Forward of the cupola is a 7.62-mm pintle-mounted machine
gun. The turret is also provided with vision blocks for direct observation.
The 120-mm main armament, designated the 2A60, has a maximum range of 8000-m
with a maximum rate of fire being 6 to 8 rds/min. In addition to firing
former Soviet 120-mm mortar bombs, the 120-mm weapon of the 2S23 can also
fire mortar bombs fired by the French Thomson-Brandt MO-120-RT-61 mortar
system that is used by many countries around the world. This fires a wide
range of mortar bombs including HE, HE extended range, illuminating and
smoke. The direct fire sight is located to the left of the 120-mm main
armament while the indirect fire sight is mounted in the turret roof on
the left side. The indirect sight housing of the 2S23 appears to be slightly
different from that of the earlier 2S9 (SO-120) system. Although the chassis
of the 2S23 is similar to that of the BTR-80 it does have a number of differences
including removal of all firing ports and their associated vision devices,
removal of the side doors between the second and third road wheels, different
roof hatches and removal of the commander's roof-mounted infra-red searchlight.
Although the doors in the upper hull sides have been removed, a door is
fitted in the lower part of the hull between the second and third wheels
as an emergency exit. The 2S23 retains the amphibious characteristics of
the original BTR-80 and has a single water-jet at the rear of the hull
with a trim vane being mounted on the front of the vehicle. This folds
back onto the glacis plate when not required. Standard equipment on the
2S23 includes an NBC system, night vision equipment and a central tire
pressure regulation system that allows the driver to adjust the tire pressure
to suit the type of ground being crossed.